Palatal Expansion Edina

Final Results and Benefits of having the Palatal Expansion Process

During the process, your youngster may find it challenging to speak and eat normally because of the placement of the expander. They will feel the pressure every time the screw or key is turned as well.

Often after a successful palatal expansion you might see a gap between the two front teeth. Dr. Pan will determine if this gap will close naturally or if any additional orthodontic procedures are necessary to complete the revamping of the jaw alignment and the rebirth of a brand-new smile.

Even though the process sounds a bit scary it is perfectly safe, a regular procedure and has many benefits. The cross bite is corrected, the impacted tooth can erupt to save a natural tooth, and the bite pattern is normal. You will subliminally take a big step in the development of your child. Not enough is said about the value of a smile and the impact that smile has on our self-esteem and self-confidence. And when is this more important than the development of a child. With a nice smile that child will carry and present himself or herself ever so differently.

This also is the perfect time to develop good oral hygiene habits for your youngster. Encourage them to brush their teeth at least twice a day and to do it well, not to rush like children so often do. Also show them how to floss their teeth and the benefits of doing so. Palatal expansion is a great first step in heading in the right direction in correcting a life-long smile.

A palatal expander will look like a retainer that has been cut in half. Anchoring to the back teeth, the teeth that Dr. Pan wants to push out ever so slightly, the two halves are connected in the middle with a screw. The device is attached to the teeth and a key is simply used to turn the screw to induce the necessary tension to apply the force and pressure to move the back teeth out to the desired position in the jaw.

You can now see how much easier this is when the patient is at a younger age. The growth of the patient plays into the favor of the palatal expansion. Rapid movement can have the patient turning the screw, or key, every single day, and repeating that daily process until the desired movement has been achieved. Slower expansion can take that daily movement and back it off to weekly movement. A lot of this is based on the level of discomfort the youngster is being subjected to and how much they can tolerate.

When the expansion is completed the expander will need to remain in place for another six months to allow the bones to grow at this point and not allow the teeth to return to their previous positions.

Your team at Pan Orthodontics at 5101 Vernon Ave. In Edina, MN., will make terrific teammates in the development of your child. With guidance and the creation of good oral hygiene habits they can develop preventative measures for the rest of their lives. Twice a year visits to have regular, preventative checkups by Pan Orthodontics are an extremely wise thing to do. Call 952-926-3747 to schedule an evaluation to consider if your child needs palatal expansion today.